forgive the newbie HP, cylinder question, but...

[rutwad]

Buy the HP or more you need, don't worry about the cylinders. The JD 5225 has a 5-cylinder, and the larger more powerful 5425 has a 4 cylinder.

 

[RobJ]

BX24D
The number of cylinders should have no bearing on your decision. There is no appreciatable advantage to the operator with either configuration. 3 having more torque with each firing, but fewer firings in a 720 degree cycle is a wash. 4 cylinders at 180 degree firing order means the worst possible design for vibration, 2 up and 2 down, never one coming up and around when one is firing, 3 cylinders eliminate this with their 240 degree firing, but with fewer per cycle, it too tends to vibrate, although usually less.

This seems to come up from time to time. The crankshaft is balanced to take of the smoothness alone with the flywheel. If you run a 3cyl and 4 side by side the 4 runs smoother. If you ever compare diesels the more the cylinders the smoother the running. A 2 is smoother than a 1, 3 smoother than 2, 3 smoother than 4. I drive a v10 truck and have read on the "internet" that it's the most unbalanced engine ever, who cares the engineers designed it right and it purrs and you never know it's running.

None of the diesels I rebuilt had a counterbalance shaft.

BTW I think these days I think the "hp" is all on a dyno, whatever they can "sell" they will do it the cheapest possible way. These high hp rated 4 cylinders still run slow to me.

Personally I would rather have a 4 than a 3 but we are only talking about 26hp here. I looked at an L284 before I found mine, only 4hp more but a 4 cylinder engine. That sucker ran real smooth. But the dude wanted more that I wanted to pay for an older tractor.

Rob

 

[RobJ]

Buy the HP or more you need, don't worry about the cylinders. The JD 5225 has a 5-cylinder, and the larger more powerful 5425 has a 4 cylinder.

I haven't looked it up but I bet the 5425 has a turbo?? maybe? The 5225 doesn't.

 

[RobJ]

I haven't looked it up but I bet the 5425 has a turbo?? maybe? The 5225 doesn't.

OK I had to look it up...The 5425 has a lot more displacement... 184 vs.276, 56hp vs 81hp